


Secrets and Lies

by Chameleononplaid



Series: What If Series [12]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M, Season/Series 05
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-19
Updated: 2017-04-19
Packaged: 2018-10-20 23:50:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10673313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chameleononplaid/pseuds/Chameleononplaid
Summary: When Oliver Queen comes to Felicity Smoak to tell her that Laurel Lance is back, Felicity suspects that something is up. When she goes to investigate, she discovers she's right.Part 11 of my What If Series





	Secrets and Lies

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Hello. This is the last official chapter of this series, but there will be an epilogue after this to tie everything up. I am still debating over the bonus chapter of what I pictured happening in the Dominators world only because, as much as I can picture it, I am having a hard time writing it due to being such a Laurel-esque storyline of where Oliver is with her but feels something is wrong. For some reason I can’t get the right feel to it. Anyway, thank you to everyone who leaves kudos and reviews. I do appreciate each and every one. And a huge thank you to my beta, who has fought through so much, while keeping my stories in line to share with all of you. Thank you missmegan666 from the bottom of my heart. NOTE: I kind of pictured when I wrote my Valentine’s Day story that it could take place after this one. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, as they belong to the Arrow universe and DC Comics.

 

**Secrets and Lies**

            “Dude, you’re late,” Barry said as he ran to a stop in front of Oliver.

            “Late for what?” Oliver rose from his crouched position on the rooftop and stared at his friend. “What are you even still doing here? Shouldn’t you have headed back to Central City by now?”

            “It’s a surprise.” At Oliver’s glare, Barry smiled. “Don’t worry, you’ll like this one.” Barry laughed when Oliver seemed skeptical. Grabbing a hold of him, Barry prepared to get ready to run. “C’mon, I promised I’d get you there.”   

          Everything was a blur and it wasn’t just because Barry was fast. _What the hell could he be late for?_ Everyone knew that Oliver was on patrol. With all the recent sightings of Prometheus and the Vigilante, was it any wonder that Oliver spent extra time on the street?

            Now that Oliver thought about it, the night had started out kind of strange because normally the team was fast about protesting that he wasn’t trying to take them with him. Especially, Rene. And, yet, Oliver had left the bunker without one word of complaint. _Something definitely wasn’t right._

            Barry stopped just outside of Oliver’s mayoral run headquarters. Right above the bunker. “What’s going on, Barry?”

            His friend nudged him forward. “You’ll never know until you go inside.”

            On cautious feet, Oliver opened the door and headed for the hidden elevator in the back. Any second, Oliver expected an ambush of some sort. And, frankly, the one he got when the elevator stopped was the last one he expected.

            Felicity stood near the elevator with her back to him speaking to Curtis. Her hair was done up in some sort of elaborate braided bun that left her neck bare. A diamond necklace in the shape of a Y hung down her naked back, settling against the very spine that had given her such trouble after Darkh’s attack a year ago. The dress just covered the very base of her back. It hit just high enough to cover the scars that was there from her surgeries. But her other scar, the one she received after defeating the Clock King was there on the top of her right shoulder. He had that spot memorized. He had kissed it a million times.

            Her dress wasn’t white this time. It was a light ivory with shots of green lace around the edges. He hadn’t even seen the front of it and he was already sure that this was the dress he imagined her getting married in. She captured his fantasy perfectly. Formal enough to marry Oliver Queen and green enough to satisfy that part of him that would always be tied to Lian Yu. Only Felicity would be able to make the two fit. Satisfy the schism.

            Barry nudged Oliver forward again and Oliver stumbled. That was how Felicity found him as she turned.

            She smiled at him as she walked the few steps to meet with him. Her eyes leant him the support that he didn’t even know he needed until that moment. Slowly, Felicity reached out and took the bow from his hand, holding it out to Barry. “Hi.”

            “Hi. What’s going on?” Oliver’s eyes darted around the lair where everyone was gathered. Each in their own gear. If it wasn’t actually happening, it would make a great joke. A Superhero wedding. Literally. No cheesy t-shirts under tuxes here. Definitely one for the paparazzi who thankfully were nowhere in the know this time.

            “You wanted to know when I was ready to get married. How about now?” Felicity turned and indicated the crowd. “Almost all of our family and friends are here. We might not get an opportunity like this again.”

            “Let me change,” Oliver told her and she shook her head, laying her hand on his arm to stop him.

            “You’re the man I want to marry, whether you’re wearing the hood or not. I wanted to prove that to you. We did it the other way once. Let’s do it this way.”    

           Oliver stared down at the woman he loved and nodded. He hadn’t said no to her once. He wasn’t about to start today. Not even if he wanted to. Which he didn’t. If he wasn’t sure that Felicity was the right woman before, he was beyond sure now, in this moment. No other woman would do this for him. Allowing him to remain attached to the monster he came home with and wanting to marry him anyway.

            Taking Felicity in, Oliver almost lost his breath. If she was perfect the day he wanted to marry her, she was beyond any form of speech tonight. _How had the Dominators gotten things so wrong?_ There was no way he could have married Laurel.

            Felicity meant everything to him. Everything he didn’t deserve and craved anyway. And she stood in front of him offering up every part of herself to him. Ready to accept him. The broken man who hid behind a hood and a mask. Despite all the lies and deception and all that he had put her through over the past five years. If he had lived in hell once, heaven was now opening its doors and giving him a chance to taste it. And he’d be stupid if he walked away from such an opportunity.

           

            Felicity watched the play of emotions that flittered across Oliver’s face, savoring the rarity of it. The fact that she was alone to share in the moment allowed her the freedom to share his feelings with him.

            Reaching out she grasped his hand. “I love you, Oliver. Will you marry me? Right here. Right now. In front of the people we love the most.”

            Oliver pulled her forward and buried his head in her neck. The two of them stood there entangled in the other’s arms. Quietly, they celebrated how far they had come before they let anyone else join in. “You’re too good for me, but I’m not going to let you go. I love you, Felicity Smoak-Queen.” Oliver raised his head and a smile spread across his face. “Are you planning to hyphenate?”

            Felicity slapped at his green chest. She should have never told him about that time with Walter. “Shut up.”   

            “It’ll be a little hard to say my vows that way,” he told her with a wink. “But if you want we can include that. I know it bothers you when I talk too much. Chatty Cathy, wasn’t it?”

            Felicity nodded, more at his question than his offer to change the vows. An idea popped into her head and she grew excited grabbing his arm and bouncing on her toes. “Can we add in the salmon ladder? There should be a clause that you always have to use the salmon ladder.”

            “Whatever you want.” He wrapped her arm around his and turned her so that they could head over to their friends. “We doing this?”

            “Yes.”     

            The two of them walked down the red carpet that Caitlin and Iris managed to find somewhere. Little Sara dumped flowers on shaky legs one at a time, very precisely as she walked in front of them in a green satin dress that Lyla had bought the second she found out what Felicity intended, while John Jr. waited off to the side with a little green pillow with ivory lace that held their rings. When Sara reached the end, she ran over to her father hugging him. He pointed her over to Lyla.

            Felicity and Oliver walked up to Ray, who stood tall in his new Atom suit. He smiled at them before addressing the group. “I never thought I’d see the day that I’d get to marry my girlfriend…”

            Oliver cleared his throat and growled. “Ex-girlfriend. And you’re welcome that I was willing to share.”

            “He screwed up royally on that one,” Digg added in which made the audience laugh.

            “How come Ray didn’t get two arrows in the back?” Barry asked but everyone ignored him.       

            Ray looked intimidated for a moment before he regained his composure. “As I was saying, I never thought I’d get a chance to marry my ex-girlfriend to someone else.”

            “Sucks for you, man,” came up from the back and honestly Felicity wasn’t sure if it was from Rene or Mick or even a combination of the two.

            “Are the two of you doing your own vows?” Ray asked.

            “If you don’t mind,” Felicity told him.

            “Of course. Go ahead.” Ray waved at Felicity to continue.

            Oliver reached out and stopped her before she could say a word. “I’d like to go first this time.”

            Felicity glanced over at Ray who shrugged and nodded. Turning to Oliver, she told him, “Okay.”

            Oliver pulled back his hood. “Felicity, I don’t know how long ago I fell in love with you. It could have been that first day when I saw you in your office surrounded by everything you love with that red pen trapped between your lips. It could have been the day I told you that you could trust me and I realized that I trusted you. It could have been the day that you stood up to me and locked me in the lair reminding me that the men and women I targeted had loved ones too.”

            Felicity saw Diggle try to hold back a laugh behind his hand over Oliver’s shoulder and she bit the inside of her lip to keep the humor at bay when Oliver was being so serious.

            “But I do know the moment I told you that I loved you for the first time, I meant it. I might have tried to fight it,” Oliver turned to look at Diggle over his shoulder who straightened his face, “but as Diggle reminded me, I already admitted it to everyone but myself. And I still fought it because I didn’t want to hurt you. I never want to hurt you.”

            This time Ray garnered another glare from Oliver. “Which is even how you entered into the picture.”

            “I’ll take it,” Ray told him with a smile and then winked at Felicity, which almost caused Oliver to jump him, but Felicity reached out and calmed him down as she held him back.

            Oliver sheepishly smiled at her. “Sorry.”

            “It’s okay.”

            “No. It’s not. I pushed you away too many times. I held you at arm’s length when that was the last thing I ever wanted to do. It’s because of stupid decisions like that that I almost lost you completely. And you are worth so much more than that.”

            Oliver slipped down to his knee. “I seem to be more honest down here,” he told her when she tried to get him to stand back up. “I need you in my life more than I need anything else. You’re my weakness and my strength. You’re the light that shines in the darkness of my soul. It’s your voice that I need to hear in my head. It’s your arms that I need to know I can come back to no matter what kind of day I’ve had. It’s your love that I don’t deserve and need every day of my life.”

            Felicity felt the tears fall but she was too stunned to wipe them away. Which was why Barry must have swept in and dried them. Little Sara saw Uncle Oliver standing there while everyone was silent and chose that moment to make her presence known. She came up and hugged him before dumping the basket of flowers over his head.

            It was exactly what they all needed to break the tension. Everyone laughed and Oliver hugged his Goddaughter before handing her over to her father.

            Felicity came over and swept the white roses dipped in green from his head and shoulders. “You look just as good in roses as you did in glitter.”

            Thea was still laughing from behind Felicity where she stood as her maid of honor. “If Mom and Dad were here they would love this.” Thea reached down and grabbed a bunch of flowers and threw it over the top of them and quickly added, “Donna and Quentin too. They should have been here.”

            “And Laurel,” Sara chimed in. “I don’t know if she ever told you but she was so happy that the two of you found each other.”

            “She told me,” Oliver admitted. “Before she died.” Oliver turned to face Felicity. “She told me that she hoped we’d find our way back to each other.”

            Oliver ripped off his mask. “I can’t wear this.” He was about to fling it to some unknown corner of the lair where they have to find it later but Barry grabbed it like a garter belt being thrown. Tears welled up again in Oliver’s eyes and Felicity wiped them away for him, feeling her own eyes begin to fill with her own tears. “I don’t know how much more of this I can take, Felicity.”

            “Then I’ll be fast,” Felicity told him. “I love you. I admire you. I trust you. I believe in you. Every part of you. I know you didn’t mean to hurt me, but you can. And I know I can hurt you, but we need to let each other in enough so that we minimalize that hurt.”

            Felicity grasped his face and pulled him in close, making him rise from his knees as her hands came to rest on his shoulders. “I need you in my life, because when you’re not there, I’m nowhere near as happy as I am when you are.”

            “Then I will always be there,” he told her.

            “You can’t promise that any more than I can. We don’t know what the future holds.”

            “We might,” Sara said and winked at the two of them. “Want us to check it out?”

            “That’s okay,” Felicity said with a look over her shoulder. She let her hands run down his chest and reached for Oliver’s hands, entwining their fingers. “We can try our best to be there for each other. Always. And I would like the chance to be able to say we tried. That we didn’t give up on each other. For better or for worse. For the rest of our lives.”

            “John, do you have the rings?” Ray asked.

            “Hey, buddy.” Digg waved over his son. “Can we have those?”

            John Jr made his way over and handed the rings to his father who then in turn handed them to Ray. Felicity knew that Oliver wouldn’t protest wearing one which was why she bought a matching pair.

            Felicity wasn’t wrong. The second Oliver spotted that there was two of them it seemed like he couldn’t lose his gloves fast enough. The Green Arrow was slowly disappearing as the vows progressed. All on decisions that Oliver made on his own.

            Frustration lashed across Oliver’s features as he pulled and tugged until his fingers were finally released from the leather. He threw them down into the flower basket that still rested at his feet with a small smile of satisfaction.

            Sweeping up the smaller ring from Ray, Oliver slipped it onto Felicity’s finger. She fully expected him to make some comment about her finally being his in a show of machismo after his earlier comments to Ray. Instead he surprised her. Oliver lifted her hand with the ring and kissed it. “I’m yours, Felicity. As long as you’ll have me.”

            Felicity reached for his ring with shaky fingers and slid it onto his hand. “You’re my hero. My friend. My partner. I love you, whether you’re Oliver Queen or a vigilante. I always will.”

            When Oliver gripped her face and pulled her in for a kiss she thought she’d start crying. She didn’t. Everyone clapped and cheered, but it was Digg’s _‘Finally’_ that had the two of them smiling as they broke apart.

            Thea turned Felicity and hugged her tight. “Thank God. I thought I was going to have to make this a shotgun wedding.”

            “Felicity,” Oliver said to her but when she turned he was shaking Digg’s hand not even facing her.

            Her name sounded again only this time it was further away. Felicity shook her head unable to formulate how Oliver was doing that.

            And that was how Felicity found herself waking from the best dream she had in a long time after two of the worst weeks in recent history. It seemed like tragedy affixed itself to the two of them. First the Dominators and then Oliver came in with his dire announcement tonight and proceeded to push everyone away, including her. He had killed Billy Malone, a detective in the Anti-Crime Unit. A trusted one that Felicity found herself turning to several times when they needed help. Much like Oliver used to do with Lance.

            And now the man was dead at Oliver’s own hand, because Prometheus had made Oliver think that Billy was him. It tore at Oliver that he had killed an innocent man. No amount of coaxing on Felicity’s part could convince Oliver that it wasn’t his fault.

            “Oliver?” Felicity turned and discovered Oliver on the edge of her bed. He was hunched over, his head in his hands. “What happened?”

            “Am I going insane?”

            “Oliver?” Felicity raised up on the bed and rubbed his back.

            “How can she be alive?”   

            “Who?” Felicity could feel his pain emanating from him. “Who are you talking about?”  

            “Laurel.” Oliver lifted his head and faced her. “How can Laurel be alive? I watched her die. We buried her. She’s dead.”  

            “Laurel?” Felicity almost choked over the name because there was no way it could be true. Oliver had had vision of dead people before, back when Barry had saved his life using rat poison. “Are you sure?”

            “I saw her. I spoke to her, Felicity. She’s alive. Do you think that Barry…” Oliver couldn’t finish his question and Felicity knew why. Because why would Barry have brought Laurel back without telling them? Unless he didn’t know.

            Felicity wasn’t sure what to think. But she was determined to find out more about why Laurel decided to make her presence known. Oh, sure she’d talk to Barry too. First, she had every intention of talking to Laurel.

            “Oliver, you’re tired. Why don’t you lay down?” She eased him back on the bed with her. She didn’t care he was fully clothed or that his shoes were still on. It was more important that he take care of himself because if she didn’t insist he would be like this all night long. Rubbing his head to calm him, Felicity asked, “Where did you see her?”

            “In the lair,” he said softly as his eyelids began to droop.

            “Is she still there?”

            “Don’t know,” Oliver muttered with a soft sigh letting her know he was on the verge of sleep.

            Felicity kissed his temple and continued her ministrations until his breathing was deep and easy. Slowly, she eased from the bed so she wouldn’t wake him.

            Grabbing her robe from the nearby chair, Felicity was thankful she left her newly picked up dry-cleaning in the laundry room. Shuffling down the stairs, Felicity went to start some coffee. She’d need it if she wanted to clear-headed enough to face Laurel. Whatever Laurel she happened to be.

            It took a good thirty minutes and two cups of strong black coffee to be ready. Desperately, Felicity wanted to check in on Oliver. She didn’t only because she was too scared to wake him and have him question what she planned to do.

            Being that it was three in the morning, Felicity sent a quick text to Barry to call her first thing. She wasn’t sure if he would even know anything.

            Felicity wasn’t sure if Laurel would still even be at the bunker at that point. She could’ve went home. To where Thea now lived and Oliver stayed before he had temporarily moved back in with Felicity right after the Dominators captured him. So, Felicity hesitated when she reached her car. _Where to first_?

            Considering Thea hadn’t called with any news of Laurel’s apparent resurrection, Felicity decided to try the bunker first. With that goal in place, Felicity began to work out a plan. How was she going to prove Laurel was Laurel?

            Felicity entered the bunker as quietly as possible. Lights were dim as they usually were when no one was there. Felicity’s computers were the main source of the glow. She’d learned to keep the computers on a constant cycle so there wasn’t as much of an energy spike at any point during the day. It helped protect the bunker from people looking for when they might be there.

            “Laurel?” Felicity called out.

            “Hi, Felicity.”

            Spinning quickly, Felicity faced the woman she never expected to see again. The Lazarus Pit was gone, so she couldn’t have been resurrected as Sara had. _How was it possible for Laurel to be here?_   “You’re really here.”

            Laurel nodded. “Oliver seemed to have the same reaction.”

            _Oliver_? Laurel hardly ever called him that. At least to one of them. Shaking off her doubts, Felicity reached out and hugged Laurel. “When? How?”

            “Sara. She saved me.”

            “She didn’t say anything.” Felicity racked her brain. No, Sara definitely hadn’t brought that up during their time together.

            “Well, in your time she hasn’t done it yet. I think.” Laurel’s brow creased. “Time travel is still a little new to me.”

            “Have you tried to see your dad or Thea?”

            Laurel shook her head. “No. Not yet. Oliver insisted that I stay here for tonight. I figured the two of us could do that together tomorrow.”

            _Oliver, again_? Felicity led Laurel over to the conference table. “He won’t be able to. He has a meeting tomorrow at City Hall. Digg’s in trouble.” Felicity shook her head. “It’s a long story.”

            “After being gone, I’m sure it is all a long story. Speaking of, I was roaming around, because I was having a hard time sleeping, and I noticed some new gear. We have a new team?”  

           _Okay, Laurel was really beginning to creep her out_. Felicity tried not to shudder visibly. She saw new stuff and assumed there was a new team? Oliver had yet to make the change for them. To allow the new team member have their own berths. The only one who even kept their gear here was Curtis because he usually didn’t want to bring it home for Paul to find. And not once had Laurel questioned why Oliver would be at City Hall. Sure, Sara could have clued her in, but still.

           “You know, let me get us a couple cups of coffee. Decaf. Definitely. It’s late and you just said you were trying to sleep.” Felicity jumped up from her chair. “Be right back.”

            Felicity didn’t miss the large sigh Laurel expelled the second she was a few steps away. Something definitely wasn’t right. Felicity silently cursed that it was so late and that Barry hadn’t called her back. Maybe, Felicity thought to herself, she could call Caitlin or Cisco.

            It was in that moment that Felicity realized exactly how alone she was with Laurel. Her hands shook as she poured coffee into the pot. This wasn’t one of Felicity’s brightest ideas. She should’ve at least left Oliver a note telling him where she was going. Not that she really knew her destination when she left.

            “Felicity, are you okay?”

            Jumping at how close Laurel’s voice was, Felicity turned and discovered her behind her. “I’m fine. It’s been a long day. And I’m still trying to wrap my head around you being here.”

            “Are you?” Laurel’s voice was clipped, having an edge of anger. Felicity wasn’t sure what she did to incite it.

            “Why?”

            Laurel slapped Felicity’s phone next to her on the table. A text from Barry prominent on the screen. _Black Siren escaped her cell. Be careful. Video attached._

            Felicity’s eyes rose to Laurel’s, or Black Siren’s. “You’re her. You’re the Black Siren. I knew it. Our Laurel never called Oliver _Oliver_ , it was always Ollie.”

            Black Siren smiled. “I heard you were too smart for your own good.”

            She opened her mouth and let out a scream that had Felicity crashing through the table and across the bunker. The last thing Felicity saw was Black Siren’s heels as she approached.

 

OQFSOQFSOQFS

 

            “Oh good. You’re awake.”

            Felicity blinked up from the floor of the cell they had in the bunker. “I’m surprised you didn’t kill me.”

            Black Siren shrugged and stared down at her own painted fingers, as if examining them for some sort of flaw. “Prometheus doesn’t want you dead yet.”

            “I’ll just put him on my list of people who want me dead,” Felicity said as she sat up.

            “So sanguine? And here I thought better of you.”

            “I’m surprised you thought of me at all.”

            Black Siren pulled up a chair and sat down crossing her legs. “After I heard Oliver was alive on this Earth all I could think about was what it would be like to have him back. And then I discovered that you stole him from my doppelganger.” She tsked and gave Felicity a long once over. By the expression on her face, she found Felicity wanting. “Not nice. It’s bad enough he’d run off with my sister, apparently on both Earths, but you?” Black Siren’s face turned contemptuous. “What do _you_ have to offer someone like Oliver?”

            The Laurel look-a-like pulled out a picture. She stared down at it for several moments. Felicity watched as her face softened. A genuine smile appeared and Felicity now realized what the difference was between the two women.

            “Who’s that?” Felicity asked, already suspecting the answer.

            “My Oliver.” Black Siren flipped the picture around. A younger version of Oliver stared back at Felicity. “He was lost to me on the Queen’s Gambit. He and my sister.”

            “You loved him,” Felicity noted. “I know what that’s like.”

            Earth-2’s Laurel carefully placed the picture back in her pocket. “Don’t try to empathize with me. It won’t work.”

            “I’m wondering, do I even exist on your Earth?”

            “How would I know?” Black Siren rose and glared at her. “It’s not like I’d have any interest in what you do.”

            “Maybe you should.”

            Felicity’s head shot over to the new voice. _Oliver. And Barry_. Except the more Felicity studied Oliver the more he looked different. Her brow creased. She racked her brain trying to come up with why this bothered her.

            “I’ve met our Felicity. She’s beautiful, smart, and so far removed from any of this.” He waved around the bunker. But Felicity stopped listening. _Our Felicity? No. Barry told her Oliver was dead on Earth-2_. Black Siren confirmed that. Oliver’s father was the Green Arrow there. “Sort of.”

            Barry must have sensed Felicity’s confusion. “He’s from Earth-2. Cisco and I decided to vibe after we realized what happened and found him alive. He’s with the League.”

            _The League… of Assassins_? Now Felicity realized why he looked different. He was Al Sah-him. He must have taken Sara’s place.

            “No. You can’t be Oliver.” Black Siren shook her head as she rose from the chair.

            “Oliver’s dead,” he told her, ignoring Black Siren’s shocked expression. “He died years ago aboard the Queen’s Gambit. I’m…”  

            “Al Sah-him,” Felicity finished for him.

            Oliver’s eyes shot to hers. His stare was so intent. As if trying to convey a message. Felicity almost half convinced herself that he was here, her Oliver, especially when his gaze did that slow dip to her lips like Oliver’s did when he thought about kissing her.

            “Why is she locked up, Laurel?” the other Oliver demanded as his eyes transferred to her.

            “She tried to kill me.”

            Both Barry and Felicity snorted. In only a few seconds Felicity found herself outside her prison and between Barry and this other Oliver. By the look on Al Sah-him’s face he took exception to the fact that she still clung to Barry, yet his face remained stoic. It was amazing that even with this other Oliver, Felicity could tell the slight nuances of his feelings.

            “Want to try again, Laurel?” Al Sah-him crossed his arms over his chest, his stare one of anger as they touched upon the brunette.

            “You’re going to believe them over me?” Black Siren stood there in disbelief. An understanding crossed her face. “Even there…? You love her don’t you?” Laurel pointed at Felicity. “You chose her… over me.”

            Felicity stared at Al Sah-him. _No. How? He did say he met her doppelganger, but when_? The confusion must have shown in her eyes because this Oliver turned to her.

            “You’re so alike and so different.” He reached out a finger and caressed her cheek. And edge of a smile appeared at the corner of his lips. “If your Oliver touched my Felicity like this I’d kill him.”

            “How do you know me? I mean her?”

            Oliver nodded at Barry. “We may wish to consider placing Laurel in the cell before I speak. It will not be in any of our interest for her to escape.”

            _Ha_! He could speak for himself, but as Felicity sat behind those bars she considered how she could use this Laurel to track Prometheus. He was the reason she was here. She had even confirmed it when she told her that Prometheus didn’t want her dead yet.

            Barry complied with Al Sah-him’s instructions as quickly as he would have Oliver’s. And soon there were chairs for all of them to sit down while they waited for Al Sah-him to speak.

 

OQFSOQFSOQFS

             Malcolm Merlyn is alive.” Al Sah-him turned to face Ra’s Al-Ghul. “How do we know this?”

            “Oliver Queen’s mother.” Ra’s studied him. “I’m impressed. I mentioned his family and you did not even flinch.”

            “The League is my family. Your daughter my wife. Oliver Queen died aboard the Queen’s Gambit.” Al Sah-him turned back to stare at the fight below. Nyssa battled with some of the best of the League as they all trained for an upcoming mission. Turning again, Al Sah-him faced his wife’s father. “Merlyn will not be alive for long.”

            “Good. But at my hand, Al Sah-him,” Ra’s told him, clasping him on the shoulder, “not yours.”

            Al Sah-him inclined his head in acknowledgement. A deep part of him was relieved that he would not be the one to extinguish the life from Tommy Merlyn’s father. Or Thea’s.

            That last piece of information landed on Al Sah-him’s lap weeks ago during a mission. It was something he was required to tell Ra’s as it could be leverage but Al Sah-him trapped the secret within himself. The part not even revealed to his own wife despite their two years of marriage.

            “Before the sun sets on the week,” Ra’s told him, “Al Sa-hir will be kneeling before me.”

            “I will see to it.” With those parting words, Al Sah-him turned to leave. He had a journey ahead of him. One he had not anticipated embarking on.

 

OQFSOQFSOQFS

            “Miss Smoak. Thank you for meeting with me,” Robert Queen told her as he held out his hand in greeting.

            Felicity shook it and took the seat he indicated across his desk from him. “I’m happy we finally had the opportunity to meet.”  

            Robert Queen folded his hands on his desk and studied her. His gaze held an intensity that was rare for a man of his age. But then most men his age would not have survived being shipwrecked on a deserted island in the South China Sea for five years. Or leading a billion-dollar company that he built from scratch. Or even finding out that while you were gone your wife married your best friend who had been running your company in your place.

            “Are we waiting for Miss Rochev?” Felicity asked knowing that in all the turmoil of the Undertaking last year, partially caused by Queen’s ex-wife, the stocks of the company plummeted causing Robert Queen to have to become partners with the younger woman, who, rumor had it, once had been his mistress.

            “No.” His tone was abrupt and Felicity was startled by the underlining anger that resonated from such a simple word “I wanted to meet with you to discuss an outside partnership.”

            “I’m sorry?” _Did Mr. Queen just proposition her?_

            “As Vice President of Palmer Technologies, I am sure you are aware of the fact that Queen Consolidated is trying to recover from the economic decline we experienced.”

            “Of course.” _Oh, thank God_. Felicity honestly believed for a second Mr. Queen wanted something else. As if her life wasn’t complicated enough. Felicity almost quit last month after she and Ray Palmer went on a business trip and kissed after having too much to drink. It was bad enough Ray was her boss but the fact that he was engaged weighed on her conscious heavily. Luckily, they were both adult enough to push past the mistake.

            “I was hoping that I could convince you and Mr. Palmer to consider that if our companies join together that we may be able to accomplish so much more than apart.” Robert Queen handed Felicity a folder. “Inside that folder, I’ve included not only the proposal but also the financial gains and losses that both our companies may experience both with and without the merger.”

            A knock sounded on the door and Robert Queen stiffened. His eyes grew alert on a level that Felicity couldn’t even begin to explain. Once he spotted who it was, he waved them in and his shoulders relaxed slightly.

            “Sir. There’s been a security issue and I feel it would be in our best interest if we spoke about it. _Now_.”  

            Felicity turned to face the newcomer. A tall, built black man in a crisp suit stood at the door. If he wasn’t a soldier at one point in his life, Felicity would eat her new Jimmy Choo’s.

            “Miss Smoak,” Robert said as he rose, “let me introduce you to my Head of Security, Mr. John Diggle.”

            Mr. Diggle inclined his head toward her. “Miss Smoak. Sir, time is of the upmost importance in this matter.”

            “Of course.” Robert held out his hand to indicate the meeting was over. “Thank you again for meeting with me, Miss Smoak. I’ve included my personal cell in the folder. It would be appreciated if you could call as soon as you and Mr. Palmer reach a decision.”

            “Right. Definitely.” Felicity hugged the folder to her chest and rose, grabbing her purse. “I don’t want to hold you.” Felicity walked past John Diggle. “It was nice meeting you.”

            All she received was another nod before he closed and locked the door securely behind her. _How strange_. Felicity pressed the button of the elevator and reached inside her purse for her phone. Only it wasn’t there. _Frack_. She had placed it on top of her purse when she had sat down and she must have dropped it on the chair in Mr. Queen’s office. The office that was now locked.

            Felicity’s eyes flashed over to the glass walls where Robert Queen and his Head of Security spoke animatedly. With a couple of quick steps, Felicity reached the door and knocked. Both men’s eyes burned into her through the glass. Felicity pantomimed that she left her phone.

            Robert Queen reached down on the seat she left and walked toward her with the phone. He unlocked the door and handed it out to her.

            “Sorry. I didn’t realize I had left it. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

            “It’s fine, Miss Smoak.” He smiled at her. “Have a nice day.”

            Felicity took her phone and ran for the elevator that was about to close. It was only as she entered her car to call Ray that she remembered she had her phone set to record her meeting with Mr. Queen, which meant it had been recording this whole time. And that meant that it recorded whatever he spoke of privately with his security.

            Her finger hovered over the delete button. The conversation she had with Mr. Queen wasn’t remarkable enough to keep. But her curiosity got the better of her and she began to listen. The longer she listened the more surprised she became. Robert Queen was the Starling City vigilante. _Did his ex-wife, who was running for mayor know?_ Felicity would easily bet in the office pool, if there was one, that she had no idea.

            Felicity considered telling Ray. They didn’t keep secrets from one another. Which was probably what had led them to the predicament they were in. Trying to avoid being alone for any of their business trips. Sometimes knowing too much about a person brought on familiarity. However, with this knowledge, Felicity half suspected that Ray would be much more likely to swoop in on the partnership with the understanding that should certain circumstances happen there was a chance Ray could acquire the whole company.

            _No_. In good conscious, Felicity couldn’t tell him. _Not this_. While Ray would rejoice at the chance of possibly obtaining one of his biggest business rivals, his moral compass would force his hand in revealing that Mr. Queen was the vigilante.

            _Oh, her head hurt_. Felicity reached inside her glove box for the first aid kit for some aspirin, but it wasn’t there amongst the bandages and everything else. _Life could never be simple._

            Calling her office, Felicity informed her Personal Assistant that she would be gone a while longer. She needed some fresh air to think and thinking freely wasn’t an option once she entered Palmer Tech. Pulling out of the parking lot, Felicity went to grab a coffee from a local shop. Caffeine and a walk would help shake out what she needed to do next.

 

OQFSOQFSOQFS

 

            Felicity thanked her headache a few days later when she awoke with a brilliant plan. Ray had asked her the day before to get in touch with Robert Queen to go over final numbers before any contracts were drawn up. Neither of them mentioned that Isabel Roshev was still a large hurdle to cross before any profitability. So, when Felicity awoke and her phone reminded her to call Mr. Queen a figurative lightbulb went off.

            That was how Felicity found herself sitting across a table from him. She even had scheduled for Ray to call in from his conference in Ivy Town to ask a couple of questions. In Mr. Queen’s distraction, Felicity planned to place some trackers that Palmer Tech developed in his water. It would help her get a handle on the fact that he was the vigilante. Or it would once the trackers were metabolized. _Or it would if she wasn’t caught in the process. Frack_. She was nervous.

            Things couldn’t have been any better planned though. Mr. Queen’s cell signal was weak in the restaurant she chose and he excused himself to hear Ray better. That left her alone at the table. After a few glances around to make sure there was no security watching her actions, Felicity emptied the packet in his drink and swirled it around.

            A huge sigh escaped Felicity when he returned and drank a huge gulp of water before their food arrived. Mr. Queen studied her and she smiled. “I’m so relieved that this deal seems to be progressing without a hitch.”

            Robert Queen laid and hand over hers. “We still have Ms. Rochev to deal with, but, I do believe with the board’s backing, we’ll see our partnership become a reality.”

            Felicity watched the older man as they ate. She didn’t know what she was looking for but she kept looking for some sign that would indicate that he was capable of being the man the vigilante was rumored to be. There was nothing other than the fact that he looked older than his years while having a physique of a much younger man. And for the life of her, Felicity felt drawn to the man. Not in a sexual way, though it was common knowledge that he had his share of affairs, but for some reason she felt safe. Protected. And it had nothing to do with the fact that he was a proficient killer. More than that, there was this sense that her life was linked to his in some way. A way that was completely unexplainable, even to herself.

            It was with that thought, that hours later, Felicity tracked him down to an old steel factory that belonged in the Queen Consolidated Holdings. It was in a bad section of the Glades but with the nightclub that his daughter, Thea, opened, things around the neighborhood were changing.

            Felicity wasn’t surprised to find him there. It wasn’t like it should be unusual for him to visit. He had an excellent mind for business and he probably assisted his beloved daughter with hers. However, Felicity had a strong suspicion there was something more going on.

            The nightclub was the perfect place for his operation because everyone else would think as she did. Rationalize his reasons for being there. No one would suspect that he was doing more than crunching numbers. Felicity knew different.

            Being that it was after four in the morning and the club closed down over an hour ago, there was no reason for the man to still be there. Not when he had a nine am meeting with her.

            Felicity tested the front door and found it locked. Luckily for her, it was a digital lock and in her previous life before becoming the VP of Operations at Palmer Technologies she had mentored at the feet of her father, a super-hacker who was wanted by no less than four countries.

            A smile lit Felicity’s face once she had access. Things so far worked in her favor. Once she was inside though she had not one idea of what to do next. Or what would happen when she confronted Mr. Queen.

            Not that she had an opportunity to think further about it when she suddenly found herself in front of him in full vigilante gear. Instead she stood there trapped between a rock and a hard place.

            Okay, so the rock was actually a metal arrowhead pointed straight at her heart and the hard place was the body behind her. The person trapped her by the waist with a solid arm while his other hand covered her mouth securely. Felicity half suspected that it was Mr. Diggle behind her dressed in black clothing until the Starling City Vigilante’s eyes caught the ones above her head. She noticed that his back visibly straightened as if on full alert and the arrow rose from her heart to the head that towered over hers. Oh, well that and the fact that she suddenly spotted the larger man off in the shadows off to Mr. Queen’s right with a gun trained on her. Felicity’s body began to shudder no matter how much she tried to make it stop.

            “Stop moving,” the deep voice growled from behind her. When his voice grew louder, she knew he was no longer speaking to her. “Where’s Malcolm Merlyn?”  

           “Let her go and we will talk,” Robert Queen told him through some sort of voice modulation.

            A deep chuckle rocked Felicity’s back. “Not until I know where Merlyn is.”

           

            Al Sah-him grew frustrated by his father’s reluctance to share the information he needed. He may no longer be Oliver Queen but that did not mean he wanted the family he once loved hurt. Add to all of that, there was a wiggling blonde stranger in his arms. Someone he suspected his father knew by his quick change of aim.

            Sliding his hand slightly across her belly to achieve a stronger grip, Oliver felt rather than heard a soft gasp escape through her lips. Now it was his turn to squirm. He never had such a powerful reaction to a woman. Let alone one he never met. Al Sah-him’s own wife didn’t even come close to exciting his body so quickly.

            “You’re dressed like Merlyn. I’m surprised you don’t already know of his whereabouts.” Robert Queen inched forward, his bow drawn back, ready to strike.

            Behind his mask, Al Sah-him smiled. No matter what the older man had gone through during his time away, Al Sah-him had been through worse. Add in all of Al Sah-him’s League training and Oliver Queen’s father did not stand a chance in defeating him. Even if he partner engaged from the shadows where he hid unsuccessfully.

            “Tell me where he is and none of you die tonight.” The woman in his arms made a mewing sound in protest but he ignored her.

            “He’s dead,” Robert told him.

            “We both know otherwise,” Al Sah-him said.

            “Then he is under my protection.”

            Al Sah-him’s eyes narrowed even as a mirthless laugh escaped him. “Said by a man who’s only remaining child is not even his own.”

            The bow lowered in Robert Queen’s hands. With a glance, Al Sah-him noted that his partner was not so relaxed. In fact, he seemed even more vigilant.

            “What are you? Who are you?” Robert demanded.

            “My name is Al Sah-him. Ibn al-Ghul, son of the Demon.” _In more ways than one if his Intel was correct about his father_. The woman in his arms stilled all movement in his arms and he tugged her tighter to his chest. “Malcolm Merlyn has defied the laws of the League and needs to be brought to justice.”

            “League?” John Diggle stepped out of the shadows. “League of Assassins? I heard about them when I was overseas. I thought they were a myth.”

            Robert Queen’s head swiveled to his partner and bodyguard before returning to Al Sah-him. “You’ll kill him.”  

            “That is not your concern. But know he will face the justice he deserves.”

            “Let her go and we will talk.”

            “You seem concerned about a woman who discovered your secret. Interesting.” Al Sah-him glanced down at the woman in his arms for a more thorough inspection. His nostrils flared as he inhaled her fear and a scent that called to the basest part of his existence. Against his will, his fingers caressed the woman’s hip under her shirt. A soft smile crossed his lips as her back arched at his touch. She might be afraid of him but her body could not deny the pull that laid between them.

            In that moment, Al Sah-him knew he couldn’t kill her, even if she must die. There could not be any weakness in his life. It would only endanger them both. His eyes slipped closed as he realized that as much as the thought repulsed him, he would have to be the one to end her existence. Otherwise, she could be used against him, tortured or worse, at the hands of his enemies.

            “Miss Smoak?” Robert Queen seemed to ask her what she knew in those two words.

            “Mr. Queen,” was her answer when Al Sah-him released her mouth.

            Al Sah-him studied the exchange with interest. And when the older man pushed back his hood, it rocked Al Sah-him’s world. The man he once called father had aged dramatically. It showed on every line on his face.

            “I’ve revealed who I am, though by your reaction, it is not much of a surprise,” Robert told him. “Don’t be so cowardly as to not reveal yours.”

            “You’re secret was already known to everyone in the room. Mine is not,” Al Sah-him told him with a shake of his head.

            Miss Smoak tilted her head up to his and for the first time he was able to see every feature. Her blue eyes locked with his before his flicked down to her bright red lips. Lips that he knew he would never have the opportunity to kiss, as much as he knew those lips would haunt his dreams. Life, as he knew intimately, was unfair.

            “Run, Miss Smoak,” he whispered in her ear. “We shall meet again.”

            Her mouth fell open in a small ‘o’ at his words. It took every bit of strength that he learned at the tip of Ra’s al-Ghul’s sword to stand firm while she stepped away from him. She stood there momentarily as she watched him as if he would capture her again until her fight or flight mode kicked in and she ran.

            “I’ll see she gets home,” Diggle said before he followed her out.

            “If a hair of her head is harmed, it is your life that is forfeit,” Al Sah-him warned him before he could leave. The need to protect the small blonde flowed hard through his veins.

            “Who is she to you?” Robert Queen asked when they were alone.

            “No one.” _Not yet. Maybe not ever_. “Until you said her name, I had no knowledge.”

            Queen seemed to grimace. “I just put her in your crosshairs.”

            “She stepped into it of her own violation the second she walked through those doors.”

            “Leave Felicity Smoak alone.”

            _Felicity_. Her name resonated through Al Sah-him’s mind.

            “People will notice her missing,” Robert Queen growled at him.

            “More importantly, who is she to you? One of your lovers?” Al Sah-him grew anxious for the answer while hoping that Robert Queen would deny the fact even if it were true.

            “An associate.” Queen placed his bow on the empty bar. “A business one.”

            Al Sah-him nodded at him. “Now let’s discuss our own business. Where is Malcolm Merlyn?”

            “I honestly don’t know. He’s only been in contact with Moira, my ex-wife.”

            “Then I must speak with her.” Al Sah-him turned to leave but his father rushed forward and held out a hand to stop him.

            “I’ll do it.”

            Al Sah-him studied the man he once loved. Still loved in his own way. “Fine. You have forty-eight hours. After that I will turn over every stone in this city to find him if I have to.”

            “In the meantime?” Queen asked with interest glowing in his eyes.

            “I’ve discovered other business.”

            “Leave Felicity Smoak alone,” Robert Queen cautioned him.

            If the older man could see the grin on Al Sah-him’s face, he’d worry about the blonde in a very different way. “I do what I must. You have forty-eight hours before the League descends on your city.”

 

OQFSOQFSOQFS

 

            Felicity huddled in her coat as she walked to her car. It wasn’t so much the cold as inner chill. For the last day, Felicity had felt as if someone watched her. Sad part was, in the last twenty-four hours she had created too many people who might very well be capable of doing it. The Starling City Vigilante. John Diggle. And the man in black. The last one scared her the most.

            A shiver ran down her back at the thought of him. Never had she felt such and immediate response to a male presence. One that fought through every ounce of her fear. Not that Felicity had many relationships to base her rationalization. Ray certainly never brought out that side of her and he was the last man she kissed, despite how wrong it had been.

            “Are you okay?” Ray asked from beside her.

            “I’m fine,” she assured him. “Thank you for walking me to my car.”

            Ray reached out and clasped her arm. “I’m worried about you. I can still do that, can’t I?”

            Felicity was about to tell him that of course he could when a male voice growled out one simple word, “No.”

            Blue piercing eyes narrowed on Ray from beneath a black hood and above some sort of leather facial mask. Ray pushed Felicity behind him in an effort to shield her from the menacing presence. She tripped as her heels caught on a rough patch of asphalt and multiple hands reached out for her.

            Gloved ones won out and swept her up off the ground. Felicity automatically wrapped her arms around his neck in an effort to prevent falling. Only once she was there Felicity felt this weird sensation. It was if she found home. _Which was weird. Weirder than her feeling safe around Robert Queen._

She could tell the man’s face relaxed despite the fact that all she could see was his eyes. A promise of something was sent to her before his attention diverted to Ray. The softness that had lightened his eyes disappeared, as they became sharp, focused. Eyes of a killer.

            Both men faced off with her in the middle. Ray had no claim on her, even if he was her boss. And the new man she knew nothing about other than the fact that he belong to a group of killers. She didn’t even know his name.

            “Let her go,” Ray demanded.

            The man glanced down at her and a smile lit up his eyes, unconcerned by any harm that Ray could do to him. “Seems to be a pattern with you. You inspire men to protect you.”

            Ray attempted to throw a punch while her protector was distracted but he caught it in one hand while never letting Felicity slip. He twisted Ray’s arm behind his back and Ray grimaced in pain.

            “Don’t hurt him,” Felicity pleaded.

            “What’s he to you?” He asked her without a glance in her direction.

            “My boss. Ray’s my boss.” Felicity laid a hand on his chest. “Please.”

            With one last glance at the taller man, the man let him go. Ray rubbed his arm but Felicity could see his anger. “Don’t hurt her.”

            “Or what?” The man in black said in a light-hearted voice that indicated he was laughing at the thought of what Ray could do to him.

            “Or you’ll regret it. I have resources all around this city.”

            Her protector gently set Felicity on her feet before he rounded on Ray. A fist shot out laying Ray flat on the ground. “I have resources around the world. I don’t fear you or your threats.”

            Felicity humphed. _To hell with this_. She wasn’t about to stand there while the two men compared egos. Turning, Felicity began to walk away. She might as well put in a few more hours working on their latest project since the path to her car was blocked by two posturing idiots who had no claim on her.

            She was almost to the door of the Palmer Technologies building when she was swept from her feet. It wasn’t until she looked down that she realized she had a fear of heights. She never had an opportunity to discover the fear until now when she was swinging above the ground with only an arm wrapped around her keeping her from flying back down to the ground.

            The man in black had them connected to some sort of wire as they rode it up to the top of a nearby building. There he set her on her feet. When she wobbled he held out an arm to steady her. She pushed it away despite the need to hold on to something until the vertigo subsided.

            “What was that?” Felicity demanded when the world righted itself.

            “He was going to kiss you,” he told her as if that explained everything.

            “Ray wasn’t going to kiss me. He was escorting me to my car because I kept feeling like I was being followed.” Her eyes met his. “It was you.”

            He stepped up to her so that he towered over her. If his face wasn’t covered, they’d be sharing the same air. He should be imposing but he wasn’t. “He was. Trust me.”

            Felicity refused to accept that. She placed her hands on her hips and asked him in her loud angry voice, “How would you know?”

            His eyes narrowed above his mask and below his hood. The way they assessed her was possessive. In that moment, Felicity knew that _he_ wanted to kiss her. While she might have been immune to Ray’s intentions she was less so when it came to this man. His body practically vibrated his need as he grabbed her arm and pulled her closer.

            “Al Sah-him.”

            With the quickest reflexes she had ever seen, he turned and pushed her behind him, shielding her from the newcomer. “Yes?”

            Felicity leaned to the side to see the new man. He lowered into a bow. When he straightened, Felicity noticed he was dressed exactly as Al Sah-him except his face mask was different. It had some sort of predatory-type bird.

            “I came to inform you Nyssa is in Starling City. She discovered her father’s plan for Al Sa-hir.”

            “Thank you. I will deal with her.”

            The other man bowed again before bounding off the side of the building. Felicity craned her neck to see where he might have gone. Unable to see anything, she walked around Al Sah-him so she could face him. “Who’s Nyssa?”

            “My wife. I took her name when I joined with the League.”

            Felicity felt her body stiffen in shock at the news. _What was wrong with her? First Ray and now this stranger_. She apparently was on the road to becoming the other woman and that was in no way what her life plan entailed. “Okay. I was going to guess sister, but wife?”

            At his nod, Felicity’s shock turned to anger. Though to be honest she wasn’t sure if she was madder at him or herself. “You stood there so judgmental of Ray,” Felicity poked Al Sah-him in the chest unmindful of the fact that the man could actually hurt her, “and you’re no better. In fact, you’re worse.”

            The expression in his eyes indicated he was amused by her anger which made her even angrier and this time she knew at whose feet her irritation laid. “I need some air.”   

            Al Sah-him held out his hands. “You are already outside. There is plenty of air.”

            “I need some air really means I don’t want to talk.” Felicity glared at him. “To you. Now take me back to my car.”

            “No.”

            “Don’t you dare.” Felicity shook her head. “Uh-uh. Don’t even argue with me right now. You _are_ going to take me back to my car.”

           

            Al Sah-him stood there and admired the spitfire in front of him. Even Nyssa who had trained in the League of Assassins her whole life would back down from him and yet this little blonde creature who probably never held a weapon in her life refused to. She demanded. And expected to be obeyed.

            If he wasn’t already attracted to her, Al Sah-him realized that feelings long dead would wrap around her in this moment. He was a trained assassin who had killed some of the most powerful men on the planet and she almost humbled him with her strength.

            Pushing back his hood, Al Sah-him approached her. For each step he took she retreated bringing another smile to his face. As much as she was willing to stand up to him she was also scared. Rightly so. Felicity almost reached the edge when he tugged her forward. Her forehead bounced off his chest. With his other hand he swept off his face gear and brought her face to his.

            The second their lips met, he was no longer Al Sah-him. Oliver Queen returned and kissed her thoroughly. Her lips were as soft as he pictured. Her tongue as inquisitive as her brain. Her kiss as desperate as his.

            Need filled him and yet he could not let it overwhelm him. This kiss had to last him for the rest of his life and through the next if he accepted Ra’s proposition of assuming the mantle in the future. It was something he’d cling to when the day came to bed his wife and bear a child.

            With that thought, he broke away from her and scrubbed at his lips, more to rub the sensation in then erase it. However, maybe it was for the best if it was erased, he didn’t need Felicity’s memory entwined with that of his wife. Felicity deserved more. Someone better than him. Safer. Dependable. Loveable. Three things he was not.

            “You’re…”  

            “Al Sah-him,” he finished for her when their eyes locked.

            Felicity shook her head. Her eyes were wild. “You’re him. You’re Oliver Queen. You’re dead.”

            “Oliver Queen is,” Al Sah-him assured her, wishing silently that it was the truth, but after their kiss he wasn’t as secure in that knowledge.

            “The vigilante… He’s your father.” Understanding flared into her eyes. “You wouldn’t have killed him.”  

            Al Sah-him reached out and caressed her cheek, not wanting to dispute her. “Or you.”

            “I don’t mean anything to you.”

            “I think I proved otherwise.” When she was about to argue, he clasped her between his hands and slammed his mouth across hers in a mind-drugging kiss. No drug in the League’s arsenal was as potent. “You’re mine.”

            “No,” she breathed out while she tried to regain some air in her lungs.

            “I hate it too,” he assured her. “But there shouldn’t be lies or secrets between lovers. And I belong to you as much as you belong to me. It’s a mortal lock. Destiny.”

            Felicity quaked in his arms and he held her tight to his chest. Resting his chin on top of her head, Al Sah-him breathed deep. Ra’s would not be happy but Al Sah-him couldn’t end her life. He just found his reason to breathe each day and he would not give it up. Even if it meant he had to keep her safe from the League itself.

 

OQFSOQFSOQFS

 

            “Where is she now?” Felicity asked the man who had his arm draped over her chair.

            A small smile appeared on his face. “In front of me.”

            “What?” Felicity was confused. She looked between Al Sah-him and Barry, searching for an answer.

            The former rose from his chair and approached the cell where Black Siren stood in a pose that indicated she was bored with the story. “I tried to believe you. I wanted you to be Laurel. I needed you to be Laurel. But you’re not.” Al Sah-him turned away from the cell and walked toward Felicity where he dropped to his knees. “You knew. You always know.”

            “Oliver?” He nodded and Felicity ran her hand over his shortened hair. “You pretended to be him?”  

            “He’s dead, Felicity.” Oliver turned to Barry who nodded before facing her again. “He’ll never have the chance that I did. To find you. To know you. To love you.” Oliver ran a hand over her leg. “I love you, Felicity.”

            “I love you.”

            “I think this is my cue,” Barry said as he stood up. “C’mon, Black Siren, back to your original cell.”

            Barry was about to run off with her when Oliver stopped him. “Wait.”

            The Flash stood there holding Earth-2’s Laurel by the arm. “Yeah?”

            “I’ll deal with her.” Oliver faced Felicity. “We’ll deal with her.” He grasped Felicity’s hand in his. “She might yet be able to be saved.”

            “You sure?” Barry asked, his eyes flickering between Oliver and Felicity. “Prometheus released her and he may try again.”

            “Can you take her to A.R.G.U.S.?” Felicity asked him drawing a confused look from Oliver. “We’ll talk to Lyla. She can put her in a secure site out of Prometheus’s grasp. When we catch him we’ll see what we can do with her.”

            “Do I have a vote on this?” Black Siren snidely asked.

            “No.” Felicity glared at her. Before nodding to Barry. “Go.”

            He took off with Black Siren leaving Felicity alone with Oliver. He pulled her tight to his side. Oliver’s lips gently pressed into the top of her head.

            “Oliver?”

            “Yeah?”

            Felicity raised her head and looked up at him still in his full League gear. “Why did you do it?”

            “What?” His voice was laced with his confusion.

            Rubbing her hand across his chest, Felicity remembered when she almost lost him to the League. “Why did you pretend to be her Oliver?”             “Because she gave me hope and then swept it out from under me.” Oliver ran his fingers over her cheek. “I couldn’t let her go without knowing how that felt.”

            “Why did you say you married Nyssa? You could’ve just been engaged.”

            Oliver shook his head. “I had to make the story believable. Ra’s would have never let me go that long without marrying her and learning how to take his place.” Oliver nudged her face closer to his. “And I have married Nyssa, as much as both of us regret that decision.”

            “You and Nyssa.”

            “Nyssa, too. But I was referring to you and me.” Oliver touched his lips gently to hers and Felicity let him guide her closer. She needed him as much as he needed her. Until that moment she didn’t realize how much.

            Oliver lifted her into his arms and carried her over to the area that had been portioned off as a place to sleep. She was sure he was going to lay her on the bed when he turned and held her against the wall. Once she was secure, he grasped her hands and pulled them above her head while his mouth hit that spot on her neck that only he knew how to use.

            “I am Al Sah-him,” he whispered in her ear before his tongue circled it. “Ex-Ra’s al-Ghul. And you, Felicity Smoak, will be my concubine.”

            “For how long?” she asked softly as he continued to slowly torture her with gentle strokes of his tongue.

            His eyes softened as he raised his head and met hers. “Forever.”

            “What if I want more?”

            “Then I shall marry you and you will bear my children.” Emotions traced across his face. He held her and by his stare she knew he was waiting for an answer to his unspoken question of whether she accepted his new proposal.

            Felicity shook her hands out of his hold and ran her hands over his shorn hair. He leaned into her touch, his eyes closing. Bringing his head up, Felicity gently kissed his lips. He let her lead her way through the kiss but she could tell how hard it was for him as she felt his arms shake around her. “I love you. Al Sah-him, Starling City Vigilante, The Hood, The Arrow, The Green Arrow, or as Oliver Queen, you’ll always be the man who I love.”

            His eyes opened and pierced hers. She could have been a butterfly pinned to the wall as effective as his stare was. “Marry me.”

            “Are you asking?”

            “No.” Oliver rested his forehead against hers. “Marry me. Today. City Hall.”

            “Why Mayor Handsome, what would everyone think?” Felicity fluttered her eyelashes in a way she had seen her mother do so many times but knew it was lost on Oliver.

            “They’d think that I couldn’t live without you,” he told her with a honesty she hadn’t heard from him in a long time.

            “And Prometheus? Is this going to be another wedding interruptus event?” Felicity pushed him back and slid down the wall. “Detective Malone is dead. The city is going to reel from his death.” Oliver began to protest but Felicity shook her head. “Prometheus first and then…” Felicity glanced up at the man she loved with every fiber of her being. “Then we can celebrate.”

            “And by celebrate, you mean get married?”  

            “Yes.”

            He tugged her in tight. “You won’t change your mind?”

            Felicity reached up and smoothed the lines of worry from his face. “I won’t.”

            “I may have to kill him.”

            “If you have to, then do it.”

            She saw relief flicker over his face. Felicity hugged him. They’d come so far. All they needed was a little more time to deal with this new threat.

            “You know, I’m going to have to tell you the story Barry told me as I got ready,” Oliver told her over the top of her head.

            “What was it?”

            “Another what if.” Oliver led her over to the bed and sat down pulling her onto his lap. “You were me. The Green Arrow. And Diggle and I were you’re bodyguards.”

            “Hmm. You’re definitely telling me that one,” Felicity told him with a laugh.

 

**THE END**

                       

 

**Author's Note:**

> This is the last official chapter of this series. But I do plan to have an epilogue chapter to finish it all up. Look for that soon.


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